Emergency Dispatcher

Chicago Housing Authority•Chicago, IL

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Emergency Dispatcher works in the Emergency Services Operational Center (ESOC), a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week component of the Chicago Housing Authority’s communication network. ESOC provides information, communications, and support to CHA residents and personnel, management teams, partner agencies, and the Office of Emergency Management Communication, with a focus on quick and efficient responses during emergencies. The Dispatcher receives and responds to emergency calls, determines the nature and severity of incidents, and ensures appropriate personnel are notified or dispatched. The role also monitors emergency calls, property cameras, and building-system alarms; coordinates with city services and partner agencies; conducts and supports resident well-being checks during extreme weather; and prepares and follows up on incident reports and open work orders. The position reports to the Supervisor of Emergency Services Operational Center and the Director of Safety and Security. It is a union position, permanently located at 4859 S. Wabash, Chicago, IL 60615.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
At least two years of related experience.
Ability to articulate clearly, comprehend transmitted information, and record messages expediently and accurately.
Computer literacy, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.
Fast and accurate typing skills.
Flexibility to work various shifts.

Nice To Haves

College-level coursework is preferred.

Responsibilities

Receive and respond to emergency calls from residents and non-residents, ensuring immediate and appropriate personnel respond to incidents.
Determine the nature, severity, and extent of problems by gathering essential information; notify key personnel of extremely serious situations and share pertinent information with management about issues such as elevator outages, heat or hot-water problems, flooding, and water backups.
Contact city services, including law enforcement agencies, to request assistance with situations such as streetlight outages, gas leaks, and broken water pipelines.
Track and monitor emergency calls using HelpSTAR2010 and Cisco Agent Desktop.
Proactively monitor CHA properties through cameras, electronically capture information, and report criminal or problematic behavior to necessary personnel, security, and CPD.
Monitor building-system alarms, including smoke, water, temperature, carbon monoxide, and elevator alarms.
Work with asset management, private management, and OEMC during extreme weather to conduct well-being checks on residents, especially at-risk, elderly, and disabled residents.
Identify whether city-wide emergencies affect CHA or HCV properties by searching the Yardi database, then disseminate relevant information to necessary personnel.
Prepare reports on call volumes, unusual incidents, faulty elevators, and security-related issues, including morning reports.
Follow up on open calls and work orders in the HelpSTAR 2010 database.
Perform other assigned duties and projects.

Benefits

Vacation, sick and personal leave, and a competitive PTO package.
Medical insurance options, including HMO, PPO, and a no-employee-cost high-deductible PPO.
Dental, vision, and life insurance.
Short-term and long-term disability insurance.
Long-term care insurance.
Pet insurance.
Parking and transit benefits.
Prepaid legal services.
Brightstar 529 College Savings Plan.
Identity theft protection.
Hospital indemnity insurance.
Voluntary critical illness insurance.
Deferred compensation plan through Empower 457/401(a), with a 3% employer match.
Pension plan with CHA contributions alongside the employee’s 3% contribution; 100% vesting after six years of continuous employment, or the option to opt out of CHA’s Retirement Plan and continue participating in the Municipal Employees Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago.